Head Founder of Texas-based Juko-Kai International

Menu

Tag Archives: Rod Sacharnoski

Soke Rod Sacharnoski is a longtime U.S. martial arts leader who developed the pioneering Juko-ryu Combat-Ki system. Emphasizing methods of internal breathing and mental control, Rod Sacharnoski’s discipline has been featured in publications such as Kung Fu Magazine, Black Belt magazine, and a host of others.

While co-starring with his partner and close friend, the late Ed Parker (Elvis Presley’s Karate Instructor and Bodyguard), Rod accepted a full-power knife-hand strike to the relaxed adams apple on the movie set of Buckstone County Prison. The blow was thrown by James Bacon, who also co-starred in the motion picture and who wrote for more than 500 syndicated newspapers. In an article that was published in the Los Angeles Times, Mr. Bacon stated that Rod set movie history—it was the first known time that an actor accepted a full-power, highly dangerous, actual blow to the throat in a motion picture. In motion pictures, all blows and kicks are pulled to prevent injury to the actors. The film, Buckstone County Prison, was shot in 1978 at the EO Motion Picture Studios in North Carolina.

Rod and his team have appeared in feature demonstrations on approximately 25 major television shows, and actually set a world record on the highly rated “Fox Sports Science” television production for taking a 1,100 pound-per-square-in kick to the testicles. Many of Rod’s television shows are monitored by medical doctors and teams who measure the impact that the Combat-Ki practitioners are struck with.

Practitioners who volunteer for Combat-Ki training gain skills in taking kicks, strikes, and punches to the human body without suffering from injuries. Combat-Ki techniques focus on controlled use of the mind, body, balance and internal energy breathing.

Becoming adept at Combat-Ki is a lengthy process that involves intensive training and represents one of the most dangerous demonstrations of the modern-day martial arts. Combat-Ki has been featured on a number of Japanese martial arts-focused TV shows in which championship K-1 fighters kicked, stuck and punched Combat-Ki masters in the vital areas of their bodies with no effect.

In an interview with the Journal of Asian Martial Arts, Curtis Wong, Editor of Inside Kung-Fu magazine, stated that Soke Sacharnoski and his team gave one of the most impressive demonstrations of Ki (internal energy) that he had ever seen. He went on to elaborate that some of the most experienced and well known Masters, at a demo at Inside Kung-Fu Headquartes in Hollywood, repeatedly struck and kick Rod and his members to no avail. This included a full-power kick to the head.

Rod Sacharnoski is an American martial arts grandmaster. One of the very few holders of the ninth degree grandmaster ranking in Okinawan Shorin-ryu Karate, Toide, and Kobudo, Rod Sacharnoski earned his fierce reputation internationally in martial arts by first mastering his Kijutsu (internal energy).

Kijutsu refers to an individual’s control of his internal energy. This internal energy is the unseen force in your body that powers your physical movements and is manifested in your strength and mood.

For martial artists, Kijutsu is the point where the mind and the body are in sync with each other, allowing the fighter to manifest power in some form. It entails two aspects: concentration and extension. Traditional martial arts grandmasters could concentrate their energy to their abdomen, bringing their mind and body in tune, absent the conscious. They could then extend this energy to a certain part of their body to increase the power in their punch or kick.

Whereas scientific opinion has been divided on whether internal energy and its control actually exists, the concept of Kijutsu is still very much alive in modern day martial arts.

Rod Sacharnoski, a grandmaster martial artist, serves Juko-Kai International, an organization based in New Braunfels, Texas, in his capacity as President and Head- Founder. Through his organization, Rod Sacharnoski teaches Okinawan martial arts, like Shorin-Ryu Karate. The roots of these martial teachings date back to the mid-1300s, when Okinawans traveled to China and were influenced by the country’s martial tradition.

Centuries later, Okinawa fell under the control of Japan and became an official part of its empire. Whether under the dominion of Japan or China, Okinawans were forbidden from owning weapons, meaning they had to cultivate empty-handed fighting methods or learn how to employ improvised weapons, like farm tools, for self-defense. Over time, Shorin-ryu Karate became one of the major Okinawan branches and has directly influenced more than 80% of all Karate practiced in the world.

Rod Sacharnoski is one of the few non-Asians to earn a 9th dan ranking on Okinawa. He was graded to 9th dan Hanshi in Seidokan (Shorin-ryu) Karate by the late Shian Toma, Headmaster of Seidokan Karate, Kobudo and Toide, Okinawa/Japan.

An experienced law enforcement and military martial arts instructor, Rod Sacharnoski is also deeply involved in the martial arts community as the president and founder of Juko-Kai International. As an extension of his professional endeavors, Rod enjoys exploring martial arts and law enforcement history.

In 1960 while stationed at Camp Courtney, Okinawa, Rod Sacharnoski served as the Chief Instructor for the 3rd Marine Division Headquarters. He also taught judo and jujutsu at other military installations with his members competing in judo tournaments that were held throughout Okinawa.

As an update, Rod still teaches military personnel in the martial arts. He also continues to train Police agencies and currently is commissioned as the Senior Training Officer for a police department in the State of Illinois. Rod is certified as a Master Police Defensive Tactics Instructor. He teaches both defensive tactics and police impact weaponry.

Tai Ki is a special martial art that was developed/founded by Rod Sacharnoski, Soke, in the year of 1961. It focuses on the body’s internal energy. Tai Ki is a registered art with the U.S. Patent Office in Washington, D.C.

Tai Ki combines soft, gentle exercises and forms, much the same as Tai Ch’i. Able to be performed by people of all ages, Tai Ki utilizes slow and controlled joint movement and balance to enhance one’s health. What makes Tai Ki so special is that it contains Rod Sacharnoski’s world renown breathing methods. Individuals who practice do so to develop a stronger heart, lungs, respiratory system, and body.

Combat Ki, on the other hand, teaches practitioners about combat internal energy and how to withstand full-power punches, strikes and kicks to the body without receiving injury. In order to learn Combat Ki, one must volunteer for the training. The Learning Channel named Combat Ki as the world’s 5th BEST martial art in its “Ultimate 10 Martial Arts” series. “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not” and “ABC’s Wide World of Sports,” in addition to approximately twenty (20) other major television shows (four of which were in Japan) have featured Combat Ki.

Combat Ki has become one of the world’s most famous martial arts and has been viewed by millions throughout the world.

With 50 years of police and investigative experience, Rod Sacharnoski is also a globally renowned martial arts Grandmaster, and the Founder and President of Juko-Kai International. The author of books on Toide and Combat Ki martial arts, he founded America’s first recognized Sokeship Commission in 1972. Rod Sacharnoski is a 10th dan Soke (Head Founder) and is one of the few non-Asians to earn the 9th Degree Hanshi grading in traditional Okinawan Shorin-ryu Karate, Kobudo, and Toide.

Named in 1933 by Choshin Chibana, Okinawan Shorin-ryu karate is a synthesis of Okinawan and Chinese martial arts whose roots go back more than 500 years. Defined by its narrow, high stance and preference for circular movement over direct strikes, Shorin-ryu karate is one of the founding elements of modern karate. There are more than 10 key kata in Shorin-ryu, which are choreographed moves for individuals or pairs useful for reference and training. Once a student earns the black belt rank, they are then taught the various forms of Okinawan weaponry.